Pacifier

ABSTRACT

A baby pacifier includes an actual nipple part and a shield. The actual nipple part includes a piece made of elastic or resilient material that is adapted to be held in the baby&#39;s mouth at a location between the middle section of the palate and the tongue, and on which piece the baby exerts suction by movements of the jaws and the tongue. The actual nipple part is shaped so that a vertical cross-sectional profile, viewed in a vertical cross-sectional plane of the buccal cavity, is elongated with protrusions directed from the a middle part of the vertical cross-sectional profile to both sides extending to the alveolar ridges and/or the teeth of the baby&#39;s upper jaw. The protrusions are shaped so as to create from the baby&#39;s sucking motion principally lateral outward pressure on the inside of the alveolar ridges and deciduous teeth of the baby when the actual nipple part is held in a baby&#39;s mouth. The vertical cross-sectional profile of the actual nipple part is slightly V-shaped or the upper edge of the cross-sectional profile has a downwards curvature so that the actual nipple part exerts essentially no pressure on the middle section of the palate.

The invention relates to a baby pacifier comprising an actual nipplepart and a pacifier shield.

Earlier it was a common belief that dental malalignment derive fromhereditary factors. Therefore, chance of success of preventive treatmentwas regarded low. However, recent studies suggest that environmentalfactors play a more significant role than previously believed. The earlystages of growth are probably decisive in determining the course inwhich the growth of the jaws will be directed.

Literature data on the variation of the frequency of dental malalignmentin relation to e.g. breast feeding and bottle feeding as well as to theuse of pacifier agree well with the assumption that the pacifier leadsto incorrect use of the tongue and the facial muscles and may therebydeform the structure of the jaws.

It has been proved that malalignment in the permanent dentition is quiteoften preceded by a narrowed dental arch of the deciduous dentition ofthe upper jaw. Reduced lateral growth of the upper jaw during thedeciduous stage has proved to be an important underlying factor in greatpart of the dental malocclusion cases. It can be estimated that at leastin 20-40% of children the upper jaw remains so narrow that it leads todisproportion between the upper and lower dental arches like cross biteand distal bite ratio or contraction of the dental arch. These types ofdental malocclusion do not always heal spontaneously but requiretreatment at some stage of development of the dentition. In practice, amethod for straightening the teeth, in which the dental malalignementcan be corrected by expanding the dental arch of the upper jaw, isgaining more popularity in clinical treatment.

The adverse influence of pacifiers to the bite of the front teeth isgenerally recognized and new pacifier solutions have been suggested forremoving the drawbacks. Among other things, it has been stated that apacifier in the mouth prevents normal dental occlusion directing thebite primarily to the front teeth. The Swedish publication SE 403 885suggests a pacifier structure in which bails lying between the teeth ofthe upper and lower jaws are incorporated with the pacifier to transferthe weight of the bite from the front teeth to the back teeth. However,the solution does not change the pressure caused by sucking on the teethof the upper jaw to normal direction.

The U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,621 presents a pacifier, in which the neck hasbeen narrowed by forming it from several separate parts so that thechild need not keep his mouth as open as with conventional pacifiers.Furthermore, separate parts of the neck allow the tongue to touch theteeth of the upper jaw. However, the solution does not increase thelateral pressure in the region of deciduous molars and deciduous canineteeth which would enhance breadthwise growth of the upper jaw.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,740 suggests a pacifier solution for promotingthe growth of the lower jaw. The pacifier is partly two-piece. The upperpart chiefly consists of a conventional pacifier. The lower partconsists of a pacifier part which places itself between the tongue andthe lower teeth with the purpose to force the lower jaw to move forwardsto settle in its normal position.

Furthermore, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,568 depicts a feeding pacifierprovided with a partition with an opening. The partition prevents thefood from flowing too easily into the child's mouth thereby forcing thechild to make certain sucking movements with the tongue needed innatural breast feeding. The purpose is to prevent a situation in whichthe child gets used to bottle feeding from indolence and abandons breastfeeding.

Most recent research results now verify that infant sucking habits havea connection with the breadthwise growth of the upper jaw. When thechild sucks the pacifier, a pressure directed towards the midline isexerted on the teeth and the alveolar ridge of the upper jaw in theregion of deciduous canine teeth and deciduous molars having a negativeeffect on the breadthwise growth of the upper jaw.

Furthermore, it has been shown that sucking of the pacifier generates anegative pressure in the mouth. This negative pressure may for its ownpart contribute to the hindered breadthwise growth of the upper jaw,which leads to locking of the teeth at the eruption stage so that thegrowth will be disturbed and malalignment will develop in the bite.

Normally the tongue induces an opposite, lateral pressure on the teethand the alveolus which is slightly higher than the medial pressure andhas a positive effect on the breadthwise growth of the upper jaw fromthe midsuture to the lateral direction.

Conventional pacifiers fill the upper part of the buccal cavity, withinthe middle section of the buccal cavity, pressing the tongue to aposition below normal so that the tongue is not in contact with theteeth of the upper jaw nor with the alveolar ridges. It is obvious thatin using a conventional pacifier--an increase in the pressure directedmedially and induced by the function of the lips and the cheeks--internal negative pressure in the mouth --pressure induced by thefunction of the tongue acting primarily through the pacifier on thepalate, and --missing of the normal lateral pressure caused by thetongue together generate the effect which hinders the lateral growth ofthe upper jaw. The daily time of use of the pacifier may be quite longwith some children and therefore the negative effect caused by the useof the pacifier on the growth of the upper jaw is considerable.

The drawback with feeding bottles is often the fact that milk or otherfood comes through the pacifier without any sucking efforts from thechild but rather the child has to obstruct with his tongue too easy andrapid flow of milk into his mouth. This leads to an incorrect use of themuscles. For a correct muscle stimulation, use of a pacifier should, onthe contrary, simulate the effort required in breast feeding. Normalbreast sucking and the subsequent swallowing activity involve strongaction of the tongue, cheeks, and lips, forward movement of the lowerjaw during the sucking stage, backward movement of the lower jaw duringthe act of swallowing. These movements guide the growth of the jaws andstrengthen the muscles of the mouth. A conventional feeding pacifierdoes not stimulate the child to this kind of movement. If all feeding iscarried out with a feeding bottle and a feeding pacifier, the daily timeof use is easily several hours. Furthermore, some children use thefeeding bottle for drinking water or juice and then the time of use ofthe pacifier may be considerably longer and the effect of the pacifieron the growth of the child's upper jaw or on the retardation of thegrowth may turn out harmful.

The British patent application GB 2278549 depicts a pacifier which has acentral part having wings extending therefrom to both sides to thealveolar ridges. The pacifier depicted in this publication suffershowever from some drawbacks. An ordinary pacifier is so large comparedto the size of the mouth of a newborn baby that any wings will not fitinto the mouth unless the ball-shaped main part is made very small. Thechild would not use this kind of pacifier with no nipple-like part tosuck. If the baby in the beginning gets used to another kind ofpacifier, introduction of a wing pacifier will be hardly successful.Transition from a conventional pacifier to that of the inventiondescribed in the application is mentioned on page 6, lines 8-12 of thepublication. For reasons of habituation this transition is difficult forthe child and probably takes place too late. Breadthwise growth of theupper jaw must be activated from the beginning because use of aconventional pacifier before use of a pacifier of a new design has timeto cause, besides habituation, injurious effects depicted in thepublication, retardation in the breadthwise growth. The pacifierdescribed in this publication would produce advantageous effects only ifthe use of this pacifier were continued for a relatively long time.Furthermore, due to the reasons of size mentioned above, the wings arebound to be relatively thin parts which the child can bite off andswallow. Therefore, for reasons of safety the wing structure is notsuitable as a pacifier.

Furthermore, known pacifiers, including that of the GB patentapplication mentioned above, suffer from the drawback that they, due toinward and outward forces acting on the pacifier, press the front partof the alveolar ridge from the inside and thereby cause protrusion ofthe front part of the dental arch.

The objective of this invention is to accomplish an improved pacifierwherein said harmful effects of a pacifier on the breadthwise growth ofa child's jaw have been minimized. It is not the objective of thisinvention to prolong the time of use of the pacifier, but on thecontrary keep it short but as correct as possible during that time. Forthis reason, it is important to use such a pacifier from the beginningthat has an activating effect on the breadthwise growth of the upperjaw.

The objective of this invention is to accomplish a pacifier which doesnot have a retarding effect on the breadthwise growth of the dental archof the upper jaw but which directs the functional forces involved insucking so that the breadthwise growth is activated.

The purpose is especially to accomplish a pacifier which createsfavourable conditions in the mouth of the child for the breadthwisegrowth of the upper jaw like a pressure, which simulates the lateralpressure caused by the tongue, on the teeth and the alveolar ridges.

In particular, the purpose is to accomplish a pacifier which will notcome into contact with the front part of the alveolar ridge by theeffect of the outward and inward forces acting on the pacifier but, onthe contrary, exerts pressure on the lateral parts of the alveolarridges while moving in the mouth forwards.

The characteristic features of the invention appear in claim 1.

In the solution according to the invention, the actual nipple part of apacifier of a 0-3 years old baby is shaped so that the cross-sectionalprofile of the nipple part, viewed in a vertical cross-sectional planeof the buccal cavity, is slightly elongated. Protrusions directed fromthe middle part of said cross-section to both sides extend to thealveolar ridges and/or the teeth of the baby's upper jaw.

The protrusions are shaped so that they create from the baby's suckingmotion principally lateral outward pressure on the inside of saidalveolar ridges and deciduous teeth. The protrusions are preferably madeso as to extend to the alveolar ridges and/or the teeth principally fromthe deciduous canine backwards to the second deciduous molar.

In the pacifier solution according to the invention, the natural lateralpressure induced by the tongue and the internal support provided by thetongue are replaced by the contact of the protrusions with the teeth andthe alveolar ridges of the upper jaw. Thus the upward pressure inducedby the tongue activity is transmitted via the protrusions from theinside of the buccal cavity laterally to the alveolar ridges and teeth,preferably from the deciduous canine backwards to the second deciduousmolar.

The pacifier according to the invention is preferably designed so thatit will not come into an essential contact with the middle section ofthe palate so that no harmful pressure acts on the actual growth zone,within the middle suture. To prevent generation of any pressure, thevertical cross-sectional profile is slightly shaped into a V-form whichensures that the middle part of the pacifier will not press nor touchthe middle section of the palate.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the cross-sectionalprofile of the nipple part in a horizontal cross-sectional plane of thebuccal cavity broadens towards the back of the buccal cavity and isapproximately trapezoidal. Due to this shape the nipple part cannot comeinto contact with the front part of the alveolar ridge by any forceacting on the nipple part neither can the nipple part move forwards inthe mouth without inducing pressure on the lateral parts of the alveolarridges.

The nipple part is typically made of a resilient or elastic solidmaterial like rubber, latex, or plastic, i.e. it can be manufacturedpreferably from the same materials as the current pacifiers. Thepacifier may be made of a solid or hollow material.

In one embodiment of the invention, the nipple part has a hollowinterior containing slowly flowing substance like a gel-like substancewhich on sucking of the nipple moves from the hollow space of the middlepart of the nipple part into the hollow space of the protrusionswhereupon the protrusions cause a lateral pressure on the alveolarridges and/or the teeth.

One advantage of the invention is the fact that the pacifier accordingto the invention enables the child's jaw to develop naturally. Inparticular, the pacifier enables normal breadthwise growth of the upperjaw and thereby growth of the teeth without any malalignment or withconsiderably less serious malalignment.

In Finland the annual costs for the straightening of teeth are estimatedat 200-300 million marks, several tens of billions in the world. Had20-50% of the malalignment cases not developed and/or had their degreeof seriousness diminished without requiring any other means than acorrectly designed pacifier, the question would be considerable savingsin the costs of health care.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe enclosed drawings in which

FIG. 1 shows schematically a vertical cross-section of the buccal cavityand a conventional pacifier therein taken at the deciduous molars,

FIG. 2 shows a vertical cross-section of the buccal cavity and apacifier according to the invention therein taken at the deciduousmolars along the line II--II in FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 shows a vertical cross-section of a pacifier according to FIG. 2according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical longitudinal cross-section of the buccal cavityand a pacifier according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a horizontal cross-section of the pacifier according toinvention along the line V--V of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 shows a vertical cross-section of the pacifier according toinvention along the line VI--VI of FIG. 4.

FIG. 1 presents a cross-section of the buccal cavity 10 showing thepalate 11, the alveolar ridges 12, 14 of the upper jaw, deciduous molars16, 18 and the tongue 15. A pacifier 20 is in the mouth. Whileperforming sucking motion the child's tongue presses the pacifierupwards in the direction indicated by the arrow. Thus the pacifierinduces a pressure in the child's mouth only in the actual growth regionof upper jaw at the midsuture of the palate at the point indicated bythe arrow. At the same time, the pacifier prevents the tongue pressingnormally towards the alveolar ridges and the teeth and exerting lateralpressure on them. These changes in pressure and the negative pressureinduced by the sucking motion hinder the normal breadthwise growth ofthe child's upper jaw.

FIG. 2 presents a cross-section of the buccal cavity with a pacifier 20according to the invention. It is seen that the cross-sectional profile21 of the pacifier, viewed in a vertical cross-sectional plane of thebuccal cavity, is slightly elongated. From the middle of thecross-section protrusions 26, 28 directed to both sides extend to thealveolar ridges 12, 14 of the child's upper jaw. The protrusions 26, 28are shaped so as to induce from the child's sucking motions principallylateral outward pressure on the inside of the alveolar ridges and thedeciduous teeth. The cross-sectional profile 21 of the nipple part maybe slightly V-shaped or the upper edge 21' of the cross-sectionalprofile 21 may have a downwards curvature as in the figure. This kind ofvertical profile ensures that the nipple part will not cause pressure onthe middle section 17 of the palate when the tongue 15 presses thenipple 20 upwards. Instead, the pressure induced by the tongue istransmitted to the protrusions 26, 28 which in turn press the alveolarridges 12, 14 sideways. The upper edge 21' of the profile 21 could alsobe straight. In all cases, it is important that the stiffness of thepacifier material be chosen so as to lead the force acting on the lowersurface of the pacifier in the desired way.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the pacifier according to theinvention wherein the cross-sectional profile 21 of the nipple part issymmetric. This pacifier can be held in the mouth both ways. The lowersurface 21" and the upper surface 21' of the nipple part are connectedto one another by a connecting structure 25. Due to this structure 25the force acting on the lower surface 21" of the pacifier tends tostraighten the concave upper surface 21' and thereby increases thelateral force of the pacifier on the alveoli.

FIG. 4 shows a vertical longitudinal cross-section of the buccal cavityand a pacifier, including a shield 35, according to the inventiontherein. The buccal cavity is designated with the reference number 10and the upper lip with the reference number 19. At the front part 13 ofthe alveolar ridge (line VI--VI) the pacifier is very flat and broad(Its vertical cross-section is shown in FIG. 6) and thereby the motionof the pacifier between the teeth alveoli and the teeth rows causes aminimal force component which pushes the teeth and the alveoli forwards.The surface 30 touching the side alveoli projected onto thecross-sectional plane of the midline is indicated by a dashed line.

FIG. 5 shows the cross-sectional profile 24 of the nipple part in ahorizontal cross-section of the buccal cavity (along the cutting lineV--V of FIG. 4). The cross-sectional profile 24 broadens towards theback of the buccal cavity and is approximately trapezoidal in shape.This shape ensures that the nipple part cannot come into contact withthe front part 13 of the alveolar ridge by any force acting on thepacifier. Due to the trapezoidal shape of the cross-section, the nipplepart cannot move forwards in the mouth without producing pressure on thelateral parts of the alveolar ridges. The figure further shows that thefront edge 24' of the cross-section 24 of the nipple part may beslightly concave. This shape ensures that the pacifier cannot touch thefront part 13 of the alveolar ridge.

The pacifier may have a through air channel which equalises the outsideand inside pressures of the mouth, the pressure difference produced bysucking. The air channel may be designed so that compression of thepacifier does not induce pumping of air.

The pacifier may be made of previously known pacifier materials eitheras hollow (e.g. as seen in FIG. 3) or solid. Preferably, the pacifiermaterial must be reversible so that once pressed it regains its originalshape. It is of course possible to contemplate that the pacifier is madeof such a material that it during the first time of use nearlypermanently takes the desired shape i.e. the shape of the child's mouth.

The purpose is not to limit the invention to the embodiments presentedabove but, on the contrary, the invention is purposed to be appliedwidely within the inventive idea defined by the following claims.

We claim:
 1. Baby pacifier comprising an actual nipple part, a shield,and a longitudinally extending part which merges with the actual nipplepart, the longitudinally extending part having an upper surface adaptedto face the upper lip of the baby, the longitudinally extending parthaving a longitudinal axis, the upper surface of the longitudinallyextending part at a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axiscurving upwardly and merging into an upper surface of the actual nipplepart, the actual nipple part comprising a piece made of elastic orresilient material to be held in the baby's mouth, at a location betweenthe middle section of the palate and the tongue, on which piece the babyexerts suction by movements of the jaws and the tongue, wherein theactual nipple part is shaped so that a vertical cross-sectional profile,viewed in a vertical cross-sectional plane of the buccal cavity that isperpendicular to said longitudinal axis, is elongated with protrusionsdirected from a middle part of said vertical cross-sectional profile toboth sides, said protrusions being shaped so as to create from thebaby's sucking motion principally lateral outward pressure on the insideof the alveolar ridges and deciduous teeth of the baby when the actualnipple part is held in a baby's mouth, the vertical cross-sectionalprofile of the actual nipple part including an upper edge facingupwardly, said upper edge being concave so that the actual nipple partexerts essentially no pressure on the middle section of the palate. 2.Pacifier according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions a adapted toextend to the alvaeolar ridges and/or the teeth principally from thedeciduous canine backwards to the second deciduous molar.
 3. Pacifieraccording to claim 2, wherein a horizontal cross-sectional profile ofthe actual nipple part is symmetric and a connecting structure in amiddle of the actual nipple part connects a lower surface with the uppersurface of the actual nipple part.
 4. Pacifier according to claim 1,wherein the vertical cross-sectional profile of the actual nipple partis symmetric and a connecting structure in a middle of the actual nipplepart connects a lower surface with the upper surface of the actualnipple part.
 5. Pacifier according to claim 4, wherein a horizontalcross-sectional profile of the actual nipple part in a horizontalcross-sectional plane of the buccal cavity broadens towards the back ofthe buccal cavity and is approximately trapezoidal so that the actualnipple part cannot come into contact with the front part of the alveolarridge by any force acting on the pacifier, and so that the actual nipplepart cannot move forwards in the mouth without producing pressure on thelateral parts of the alveolar ridges.
 6. Pacifier according to claim 4,wherein a vertical cross-sectional profile of the nipple part in avertical cross-sectional plane taken in the front part of the alveolarridge is shaped flat and broad.
 7. Pacifier according to claim 4,wherein the nipple part is made of an elastic solid material. 8.Pacifier according to claim 4, wherein the nipple part is hollow. 9.Pacifier according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal cross-sectionalprofile of the actual nipple part in a horizontal cross-sectional planeof the buccal cavity broadens towards the back of the buccal cavity andis approximately trapezoidal so that the actual nipple part cannot comeinto contact with the front part of the alveolar ridge by any forceacting on the pacifier, and so that the actual nipple part cannot moveforwards in the mouth without producing pressure on the lateral parts ofthe alveolar ridges.
 10. Pacifier according to claim 9, wherein a frontedge of the horizontal cross-sectional profile of the actual nipple partis provided with a concavity.
 11. Pacifier according to claim 1, whereina vertical cross-sectional profile of the nipple part in a verticalcross-sectional plane taken in the front part of the alveolar ridge isshaped flat and broad.
 12. Pacifier according to claim 1, wherein thenipple part is made of an elastic solid material.
 13. Pacifier accordingto claim 1, wherein the actual nipple part is hollow inside.
 14. Babypacifier comprising a longitudinally extending part which merges into anactual nipple part for being held in a baby's mouth at a locationbetween the middle section of the palate and the tongue and on which thebaby exerts suction by movements of the jaws and the tongue, thelongitudinally extending part having a longitudinal axis and an uppersurface adapted to face the upper lip of the baby, the upper surface ofthe longitudinally extending part curving upwardly and merging into anupper surface of the actual nipple part, the actual nipple part beingmade of elastic or resilient material, the actual nipple part beingshaped so that a vertical cross-sectional profile, viewed in a verticalcross-sectional plane that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis,of a portion of the actual nipple part that is adapted to be positionedin the buccal cavity of the baby's mouth is elongated and includesprotrusions directed from a middle part of said vertical cross-sectionalprofile to opposite sides, said vertical cross-sectional profile of theactual nipple part having an upper edge, a portion of the upper edge ofthe actual nipple part being concave so that the actual nipple partexerts substantially no pressure on the middle section of the palatewhen the actual nipple part is positioned in the buccal cavity of thebaby's mouth.
 15. Pacifier according to claim 14, wherein the verticalcross-sectional profile of the actual nipple part is slightly V-shaped.16. Pacifier according to claim 14, wherein the downwardly recessedupper edge of the actual nipple part is defined by a downward curvature.17. Pacifier according to claim 14, wherein the vertical cross-sectionalprofile of the actual nipple part is symmetric and a connectingstructure in a middle of the actual nipple part connects a lower surfacewith an upper surface of the actual nipple part.
 18. Pacifier accordingto claim 14, wherein a front edge of a horizontal cross-sectionalprofile of the actual nipple part is provided with a concavity.